Overview: Austin Butler and Callum Turner portray American Air Force officers Major Gale Cleven and Major John Egan, nicknamed Buck and Bucky, leading the 100th Bomb Group in England for an offensive against Germany in the 2024 World War II series “Masters of the Air.” Created by John Orloff, who co-produced the series with Tom Hanks, Steven Spielberg and and Gary Goetzman, this historical drama is based on a book by Don Miller.
The 100th Bomb Group succeeds in their mission to destroy German munition factories, but not without heavy losses in Episode 3 of “Masters of the Air” Now, the survivors await the promised chilled beer in the hot plains of Africa, while they wonder if they will ever see their comrades who escaped their burning planes in parachutes.
Buddies Buck (Austin Butler) and Bucky (Callum Turner) are among the surviving hero pilots, and soon they get to return to base, where a huge bash takes place for the group that’s supposed to fly back home. Unlike the last episode, which featured a lot of mid-air action, violence, and drama, Episode 4 focuses more on developments on the ground.
Bucky decides to take a break in London, while Buck is off flying on his next mission to bomb German U-boats in Bremen. A whole bunch of new pilots arrive from America for their first war missions; the new faces are filled with idealistic enthusiasm and bluster, while the older boys are scarred from their experiences yet put up a brave front to keep everybody’s spirits up. A parallel subplot follows young Sgt. William Quinn, who lands in Belgium and faces two options – either surrender to the Germans and become a POW (prisoner of war) or risk his life and escape to an allied territory.
While there are plenty of revelry and lighter moments in this episode, every time a scene might lull the viewer into forgetting a war is afoot, there’s always a grim reminder that death is only inches away. The cinematography continues to excel at world-building, contrasting loud joyous soirees against the rattle of bombs and explosions. This is best exemplified in a scene where Buck is in a hotel room with a Polish woman; the two share intimate moments while the window lights up with what seems like fireworks but is actually London being bombed by the Germans. The two of them then can’t help but discuss the blurred lines of what’s right and wrong in war.
One of the most enjoyable aspects of “Masters of the Air” so far is its ability to blend all shades of war into one hot melting pot of emotions. It alternates between officers having a gala time in their base, partying, drinking, and dancing the night away, and the morbid despair of being in the thick of combat situations. These officers, who were full of life, vigor, and optimism, are just seconds away from being torn into little bloodied bits.
You can stream “Masters of the Air” on Apple TV+.
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